Zoo breaks single-day attendance record

ASHEBORO — The North Carolina Zoo set a regular daily attendance record on Friday, April 15, with a total of 15,250 guests visiting the world’s largest natural habitat zoo.

According to a press release from the zoo, the Good Friday guests were able to enjoy the zoo’s newest attractions, Dino Bus and the Dragonfly Paddle Boats, both of which recently opened for the summer season.

To accommodate more guests, the zoo also expanded the capacity of its popular “Zoofari: An African Wildlife Adventure” attraction.

According to Gary Buchanan, manager of public relations and social media, the zoo utilized overflow parking to accommodate the crowd. “People followed the signs and everything ran smoothly,” he said.

With figures for the four-day weekend still coming in, Buchanan said, it’s possible that the zoo could break a multiple-day record.

“We’re extremely grateful for the support of our guests that visit and enjoy all we have to offer in our park,” said Patricia Simmons, director of the North Carolina Zoo. “We’re also incredibly thankful to our amazing employees who make sure our guests have their best experiences on every visit. With new and expanded attractions, and our outstanding animal habitats, this all-time attendance record is a great sign of things to come for our summer season.”

Friday’s new attendance record of 15,250 topped the former record of 15,041 that had held the top spot since 1994.

Here are the Top 5 Most Visited Days of regular daily attendance at the North Carolina Zoo: